Saudi Press

Saudi Arabia and the world
Sunday, Jun 01, 2025

US signals Biden will avoid shaking hands during Middle East trip

US signals Biden will avoid shaking hands during Middle East trip

Despite the new COVID prevention guidelines, the US president has shaken the hands of Netanyahu and Gantz early in his visit to Israel.

As Joe Biden starts his first visit to the Middle East as US president, the White House has signalled that he will avoid shaking hands with dignitaries and counterparts to decrease the risk of contracting COVID-19.

But the new guidelines, which come ahead of a highly anticipated meeting between Biden and Saudi Arabia’s Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman, were not rigorously enforced upon the US president’s arrival in Israel on Wednesday; he shook the hands of Israeli officials.

“We’re in a phase of the pandemic now where we are seeking to reduce contact and to increase masking … to minimise spread,” US national security adviser Jake Sullivan told reporters on Air Force One.

White House spokesperson Karine Jean-Pierre echoed his comments. “We’re trying to minimise contact as much as possible,” she said.

The precautions, however, appear to have been short-lived in Israel. Biden fist-bumped Israel’s interim Prime Minister Yair Lapid and President Isaac Herzog after landing in Tel Aviv. But later in the day, footage showed him shaking hands with former Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and Defence Minister Benny Gantz.

He also shook hands with officials at Yad Vashem, Israel’s Holocaust memorial.

Later this week, Biden will fly to Saudi Arabia, where he is expected to meet regional leaders in the Red Sea city of Jeddah. The White House has confirmed that he will also meet with bin Salman, who the US intelligence community accuses of ordering the killing of journalist Jamal Khashoggi at the Saudi consulate in Istanbul in 2018.

Riyadh insists that the killing of Khashoggi – who wrote for the Washington Post at the time of his death – was a rogue operation that took place without the approval or knowledge of top officials, including Prince bin Salman, who is known by his initials, MBS.

As a candidate, Biden called Saudi Arabia a “pariah” over the killing, and early in his administration, he avoided dealing with MBS – the de facto leader of the kingdom. Instead, the White House has said that the president would engage with his counterpart, King Salman, the crown prince’s father.

It’s not clear whether Biden will follow his aides’ handshaking guidelines at the expected photo opportunity with MBS.




“The White House is desperately trying to avoid the picture of Biden shaking hands with the crown prince… COVID is a simple excuse but it won’t change the fact of the meeting,” Bruce Riedel, a foreign policy fellow at the Brookings Institution, told the Reuters news agency.

The Biden administration has said it will promote normalisation between Israel and Arab countries, including Saudi Arabia, during the president’s visit to the Middle East.

“We’ll continue to advance Israel’s integration into the region … Greater peace, greater stability, greater connection … It’s critical, I might add, for all the people of the region,” Biden said after landing in Israel on Wednesday.

Newsletter

Related Articles

Saudi Press
0:00
0:00
Close
OPEC+ Agrees to Increase Oil Output for Third Consecutive Month
Turkey Detains Istanbul Officials Amid Anti-Corruption Crackdown
Meta and Anduril Collaborate on AI-Driven Military Augmented Reality Systems
EU Central Bank Pushes to Replace US Dollar with Euro as World’s Main Currency
European and Arab Ministers Convene in Madrid to Address Gaza Conflict
U.S. Health Secretary Ends Select COVID-19 Vaccine Recommendations
Trump Warns Putin Is 'Playing with Fire' Amid Escalating Ukraine Conflict
India and Pakistan Engage Trump-Linked Lobbyists to Influence U.S. Policy
U.S. Halts New Student Visa Interviews Amid Enhanced Security Measures
Trump Administration Cancels $100 Million in Federal Contracts with Harvard
SpaceX Starship Test Flight Ends in Failure, Mars Mission Timeline Uncertain
King Charles Affirms Canadian Sovereignty Amid U.S. Statehood Pressure
Iranian Revolutionary Guard Founder Warns Against Trusting Regime in Nuclear Talks
UAE Offers Free ChatGPT Plus Subscriptions to Citizens
Lebanon Initiates Plan to Disarm Palestinian Factions
Iran and U.S. Make Limited Progress in Nuclear Talks
The Daily Debate: The Fall of the Dollar — Strategic Reset or Economic Self-Destruction?
Trump Administration's Tariff Policies and Dollar Strategy Spark Global Economic Debate
OpenAI Acquires Jony Ive’s Startup for $6.5 Billion to Build a Revolutionary “Third Core Device”
Turkey Weighs Citizens in Public as Erdoğan Launches National Slimming Campaign
Saudi-Spanish Business Forum Commences in Riyadh
Saudi Arabia and Spain Sign MoU to Boost SME Sectors
UK Suspends Trade Talks with Israel Amid Gaza Offensive
Iran and U.S. Set for Fifth Round of Nuclear Talks Amid Rising Tensions
Russia Expands Military Presence Near Finland Amid Rising Tensions
Indian Scholar Arrested in Crackdown Over Pakistan Conflict Commentary
Israel Eases Gaza Blockade Amid Internal Dispute Over Military Strategy
President Biden’s announcement of advanced prostate cancer sparked public sympathy—but behind closed doors, Democrats are in panic
A Chinese company made solar tiles that look way nicer than regular panels!
Indian jet shootdown: the all-robot legion behind China’s PL-15E missiles
The Chinese Dragon: The True Winner in the India-Pakistan Clash
Australia's Venomous Creatures Contribute to Life-Saving Antivenom Programme
The Spanish Were Right: Long Working Hours Harm Brain Function
Did Former FBI Director Call for Violence Against Trump? Instagram Post Sparks Uproar
US and UAE Partner to Develop Massive AI Data Center Complex
Apple's $95 Million Siri Settlement: Eligible Users Have Until July 2 to File Claims
US and UAE Reach Preliminary Agreement on Nvidia AI Chip Imports
President Trump and Elon Musk Welcomed by Emir of Qatar Sheikh Tamim with Cybertruck Convoy
Strong Warning Issued: Do Not Use General Chatbots for Medical, Legal, or Educational Guidance
Saudi Arabia Emerges as Global Tech Magnet with U.S. Backing and Trump’s Visit
This was President's departure from Saudi Arabia. The Crown Prince personally escorted him back to the airport.
NVIDIA and Saudi Arabia Launch Strategic Partnership to Establish AI Centers
Trump Meets Syrian President Ahmad al-Shara in Historic Encounter
Trump takes a blow torch to the neocons and interventionists while speaking to the Saudis
US and Saudi Arabia Sign Landmark Agreements Across Multiple Sectors
Why Saudi Arabia Rolled Out a Purple Carpet for Donald Trump Instead of Red
Elon Musk Joins Trump Meeting in Saudi Arabia
Trump says it would be 'stupid' not to accept gift of Qatari plane
Quantum Computing Threatens Bitcoin Security
Michael Jordan to Serve as Analyst for NBA Games
×